


target

by xavvie



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Blood, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, M/M, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader is an Apex Legend, Reader-Insert, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:15:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xavvie/pseuds/xavvie
Summary: it appears that this is going to end up longer than i expected.also, thank you everyone that commented! they mean a lot!(Crypto is being called Crypto bc i'm pretty sure he'd insist when he was new to the games, and then it stuck)
Relationships: Revenant (Apex Legends)/Reader
Comments: 10
Kudos: 179





	1. Chapter 1

There was no way Revenant could be vulnerable. There was no way he could be _soft_ or _gentle_ or _kind_. There was no way. Not in a million years. His programming, heck, he himself wouldn't allow it.

Is a stage persona a stage persona when worn on and off camera? He was vicious no matter where he was; cruel and taunting, lethal, a weapon built from the scraps of a human and into something more and less in equal measure. He was Revenant. Just Revenant. No other known names.

And yet, he was beautiful. You knew he could (and routinely would) split a person apart with just his fingertips, but your eyes still caught on how they curled, elegant, whenever he was impatiently waiting to move. You watched his sleek form flash throughout every fight, tuning a battlefield into a sharp instrument only he could play victoriously. You stared as his silhouette split the sky, form a shadow as his optics scanned the arena below, and then -

then glared right at you. You flickered your gaze to the deathbox at your feet, surprise turning your blood to ice. Your clutch on your Prowler tightened as the _clink_, _clink_ of Revenant's mechanics made its way slowly over to you. He loomed, threatening, in silence. A pause. You pretended to keep rummaging through the box and he kept glaring.

"What," he snarled, "do you keep looking at me for?"

With a box of heavy ammo in one hand, you lifted your head to meet his glare evenly. Outwardly, your expression was calm, bored, even. Inwardly, you were congratulating yourself on your nerves of steel. Your voice was reassuringly bland as you responded, "What?"

If it could, Revenant's glare intensified. "Don't pretend like you don't know, fool." With a deceptively slow movement, he reached to examine the guns in the box, carelessly discarding his Spitfire for a Peacekeeper. "You keep _looking_ at me. **Why**."

"I'm not-"

Quick as a whip, Revenant shoved you over the deathbox. The only reason why you didn't end up on the ground was because, blessedly, your third decided to finally reappear.

"Oops amigo. Be careful!" Octane's mask leaned above your face from where he was supporting your shoulders. "What would you do without me, eh?"

On your feet again, you smile, strained. "Thanks."

"No problemo!"

Revenant was already gone, evidently out of patience with your conversation. He was weaving through the deathboxes littered across the hill and slinking through the open door into Harvester. Neither you nor Octane had even looted properly yet. You sighed.

Ammo, shields, health. A stack of batts. A stray arc star. _Ooh?_ Golden knockdown shield. By the time Octane and you were moving, Revenant had vanished. Pulling out your map revealed his arrow skulking around Sorting Factory. Considering the lack of gunfire, you assumed it was empty and you both hastened - "Go, go, go! Faster, faster, faster!" - to rejoin him.

Inside the buildings, you only had a few moments to freeze, survey the _enemy squad_ equally frozen and staring right back at you, then the figure of Revenant, hidden, perched above their heads. Your eyes met, his sharp with glee, yours widening with shock, before all hell broke loose.

Octane, fast, yanked you out of the bullets and slammed the door. You were already rushing to the door on the side. You could hear the flash of thermite and the cracking of shields. Panic, as a body barreled past you - Revenant - and you blocked the doorway with returning fire. You didn't recognise these enemies. Nobodies?

"Downed one!" You called, slamming the door shut to shield up. Octane was already stimming in with a whoop.

"Downed a second! Third's one- Ack! Another team's firing at me!"

A snarl next to your ear as you were shoved unceremoniously to the side. "Move." Revenant kicked the door open, Peacekeeper drawn. A cry and the thud of three deathboxes followed. You hurried after him. Sliding out your Longbow, you scoped down the hall where a green blur was dashing from cover to cover, peppering shots at the next squad pushing into the fight. He was low on shields and an enemy rounded the corner, intending to break them-

**BANG**. He fell to the floor with a bullet in his skull. You prepared your Longbow again with a click. Octane shot you a thumbs up, shield battery in hand.

**BANG**. His teammate ducked in time, getting a shot to the shoulder, but it was enough for her to back off, injured. With a snarl, Revenant was already in pursuit. You weren't too far behind, Prowler ready.

The squad was easily finished after that. No other squads engaged the fight, and as you healed, surrounded by purple deathboxes, you checked the amount of squads left.

Three. This fight made a lot of noise, so you had no doubt that the two other squads knew exactly where you were, just waiting for the other to engage first. Beside you, Revenant was clicking the joints in his fingers, just barely keeping himself from taking off. You ignored the optics burning into the side of your face. You knew he wasn't going to stop interrogating you until he had what he wanted, but for now? He wouldn't risk distraction at this point of the match.

"Ready?" Octane was vibrating by the door.

A nod, and you went. You didn't need to look to know Revenant was shadowing you, intimidatingly close, his limbs quietly scraping against one another. He wanted answers.

The round building on the edge of Sorting Factory was a perfect place to lay low for a while. The third ring had circled around it, midway through the path to Harvester, and a small section of Geyser. With rough ideas as to where the other two teams were, you relaxed.

"We should wait 'til they fight." You checked your map. "The next ring will force them out of position and into each other."

"Sounds good-"

"No." Revenant growled. "We kill both. If we kill the ones here-" He tapped the buildings a zipline away. "quickly, the skinbags at Geyser can't attack fast enough."

Both you and Octane objected immediately. "That's too risky!"

"I'm fast, but I'm not that fast."

"They'll be fully kitted and prepared."

"And then we'll just get third-partied!"

A growl. "Be _better_. Then we'll have no problem."

"That's-" A shot, from none of your guns. All three of you shot upright.

"Go!" Octane didn't wait, simply bursting out the doors and leaping onto the zipline, the sounds masked by a sudden crackle of gunfire, and soon after, rockets dropping all over the buildings.

"Bangalore!" You ducked into the nearest building. Octane had vanished, hopefully into cover. Revenant shoved you both deeper into the room just as the door exploded inward, a hissed, "Helpless." in your direction, before he was off again, through the doors on the opposite side. His behaviour was normal, but it was getting irritating - did he have to insult you as well? You rolled your eyes.

Considering your guns, you chose to exit and climb onto the roof, using an open supply crate as cover to survey the fight through your sniper scope. "Team there! House left-" You called through your headset, "and taller building opposite!"

"Got it!"

"I heard you."

You took a shot at a figure climbing onto their roof. "Path down!"

"Taking fire!" Out the corner of your eye, you see Octane's shield chip away. "Wraith gold!" Wraith, Pathfinder, and Bangalore on one team, you noted, wincing. Wraith and Bangalore had been taking 'kill leader' from each other all game. Their banners were practically burned into your memory by now. Now the next team...

The flashing red fences going up against the doors of the smaller building told you it was Wattson. The shadow of canisters resting against them told you it was Caustic. Who was the third-?

A bullet clanged against metal where your head was moments ago. You inhaled sharply, now crouched behind the supply crate. Close. A sniper. Risking a shot, you peeped out and missed Lifeline by centimeters as she ducked back behind the roof. Then another shot, but not at you.

"Octane's dead." Revenant's voice snapped through your ear. "Idiot got between them."

"Fuck." You cautiously peered out again, noting Pathfinder had crawled inside and presumably been healed. Neither you, nor Revenant could push Wattson and Caustic when they had a building on lockdown. With one person gone, you had to be defensive.

Irritated grumbling filtered through the headset and you knew Revenant had come to the same conclusion. "We wait." He demanded.

The next ring would push you out of position. Biting a lip, you scanned the arena. You had to do _something_.

"I'm going to their roof." You pinged the tallest building, planning on running around the outskirts of the ring, then to climb. It would be the best position as sniper. The only issue was if the team inside would push you.

A scoff. "Do what you will. Just don't get in my way."

"Wait." Through gritted teeth, you mulled over your thoughts again, coming to a decision. An unpleasant decision. "I need you to come with me."

"..."

The incredulous silence over the comms was enough to make you snap. "Where the fuck even are you anyway?"

"... Inside."

Inside? Inside what- Baffled, you looked over the battlefield again. Wattson and Caustic's building was practically watertight, which meant... Your eyebrows raised and that must've accidentally leaked into your voice, judging from Revenant's immediate defensive retort. "You're stuck inside _their building_?!"

"I am not _stuck_."

Oh god, he was stuck.

Inhaling heavily, you stood. "Okay." A huge sigh. No doubt the audience would be amused. You weren't looking forward to the interviews addressing _this_. "I guess we have to wait for the whole squad to move. Ring closes in ten-" You broke off with a startled yelp as an arc star sailed through the air and disintegrated midway. Evidently, Wattson's pylon was tucked away somewhere, making that fortress of a building even more intimidating. In retaliation though, her entire squad started lobbing grenades.

Through the commotion, you sprinted to the side of the building, scaling up one wall, to the balcony, then finally to the side of the roof. Crouched as far away from view as possible, you waited, Longbow clutched in your hands. The building below shook with explosions, then, gunfire as Wattson's squad descended on the injured team.

Teams. Your headset crackled to life. "Taking damage!"

"On my way." You were already sliding back down to the balcony, Prowler shooting the first figure in the doorway. Wraith's shields cracked and she went down, health low from the grenades, and Lifeline was soon to follow, her split second of surprise upon seeing you instead of Wraith giving you enough time to aim and shoot. Gas was shrouding the lower room, coughing and clumsy shooting misted into obscurity. You weren't risking that yet, choosing to wait out the gas and finish off the legends on the top floor. Your kill count went up satisfyingly but you weren't focused on them. You still hadn't heard anything from Revenant.

But you needed to attack. You weren't winning a fight against Caustic in such a small building. Already, you could hear the hissing of new gas canisters being set. "Arc star!" You called into comms, hoping Revenant would manage to avoid it, and preparing to toss one down. You weren't, however, prepared for the gunshots through your abdomen, the telltale wheeze of Caustic's cough, and the pain that lanced through you. You dropped the star, muffling a cry, collapsing to the floor, knockdown shield sliding out of your backpack upon impact. "I'm d-down-"

Cursing, then a roar as Revenant chose to attack.

More gunshots. You painfully slid the rare syringe from the handle of the shield, cheek pressed to the floor, breath coming in faint gasps. The blast of a Peacekeeper, and Pathfinder's voice came faintly from Revenant's side of the comms. "I'm down!"

The prick of the needle was nothing compared to the gradual relief it brought. Bullets clattered to the ground as your wounds scabbed over. You inhaled, lungs suddenly free of blood. Your knees ached as you forced one foot to the floor.

"I'm down-!" The call came from the stairs, Wattson's voice cutting off as the announcer declared Bangalore kill leader. Your legs shook as you rose. A guttural, heaving breath as "The kill leader has been eliminated." was proclaimed.

A booming shot, and Revenant's voice was reduced to static in your ears. "I'm d- d-" There was no gas in the air. Caustic's sadistic chuckle was faint. His footsteps were slow, predatory.

You were up. You were up, your wounds were screaming, head pounding, but you were scrambling for the stairs. Your hands were shaking too much to aim consistently. Your Longbow was slick with your blood. You peered one strained eye through the scope and aimed, focused at the figure of Caustic drawing back an arm, preparing to deliver a brutal punch at the body kneeling on the ground. Revenant's face was shattered, debris falling from his jaw as he raised his chin in defiance, static filling the air with slow chuckles as his glowing gaze snapped to you.

You shot.


	2. Chapter 2

Being crowned champion wasn't as glamorous as the cameras made it seem.

After Caustic fell, it was a blur of victory anthems. No doubt the cameras had circled around your bloodied form, trembling with pain and exhaustion but still strong, Longbow at your side, jaw fixed to ward off a wince. Then, your head had fogged. Everything after fazed into a grey, nebulous mess, but like a hook, Revenant's eyes glowed through it all. His gaze burned, constantly on you as you were both collected by staff shouting orders at each other, hurried to the dropship, and all the way through the ride out of the arena, only abruptly flicking away once you were wheeled to your designated hospital room. With the game concluded and this season over, he had all the time he wanted to needle you with questions.

That wasn't at the forefront of your mind however. Pain was throbbing across your whole body, and as you were lifted onto the hospital bed, wounds reopened, fresh blood seeping into your already bloodied uniform. Too many people were rushing in and out of the room, voices making you flinch as they barked commands, and wheeled equipment in. Then finally, you closed your eyes and let yourself pass out.

As you were a new Legend, interviews upon interviews were piling up. Sponsorship offers and fanmail and guest appearance requests were starting to make quite the monument on your hospital bedside table, and it had been the first thing you'd noticed upon waking up. The second thing was the complete absence of pain. Ah, the miracle of modern medicine. You couldn't help but let out a huff of amusement as you made to sit up. You were alone in your room, allowing the peace and privacy the arena lacked, something you heavily appreciated. Someone had changed you out of your torn, filthy clothes from the games, and into a hospital gown, leaving your arms and legs bare. It felt far too vulnerable after your uniform.

You straightened as your door was opened, a nurse bustling in with a smile that grew when she saw you were awake. "Hello," She shut the door behind her with a soft click and took a seat on a chair next to the bed. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

Letting yourself relax again, you slumped back against the headboard with a sigh. "Nothing. I feel fine, actually." You grinned. "Tired, but that's better than being hurt." The letters piled beside you fluttered as the nurse laughed.

"That's good. We'd like to keep you in overnight just to make sure there are no complications." She hummed. "If everything's fine, you'll be discharged tomorrow. The Apex Game hosts will be collecting you. Is that correct?"

"Yeah." You were looking forward to going back to the dorms. Being able to relax after the games was nice, but would be even better when you'd be surrounded by all your stuff again.

A smile, and the nurse stood, preparing to leave. "Good. Do you want anything? Any drinks? A book?"

The mere thought of doing _anything_ made you yawn. Blinking sleepily, you replied, "I think I'll just nap to be honest." The nurse laughed again as she left, leaving you pleasantly drowsy, and ready to get some proper rest.

The next time you woke, it was to a gravelly voice, dripping with disdain. "'I hope you have a wonderful day!' You skinbags are so sickeningly sweet, it's disgusting." The scrunch of paper, then the sound of it tearing.

"..." You didn't open your eyes, simply heaving a sigh, already frowning. "What are you doing in my room." The 'what the fuck' was left out but heavily implied.

"I want to know what you're so interested in me for." Revenant was blunt, already digging into your pile of fanmail for another message to make fun of, the sound of newly repaired fingers clicking in the quiet room. "I _know_ it's not because I'm interesting to look at, so don't use that as an excuse." You could already tell he was glaring at you. "What are you _planning_?"

Is that what he thought? That you were scrutinising him to... do something? You finally blinked your eyes open, a scowl firmly on your face as you pushed yourself up into a seated position. "Get off my mail." You swiped at the letter pinched in Revenant's hand. "And I'm not staring at you in any abnormal amount. If I'm looking at you, it's because I have to."

Revenant tilted his head slightly. It threw his face into shadow, sharpening all his repaired features, his presence suddenly so much more dangerous. It was a reminder that he was a true killer. A warning. "Liar." he hissed.

You shook your head, stubborn despite the clear ire that was starting to clench Revenant's hands. "I'm not." How the hell were you supposed to tell this robot that you found him _pretty_? He'd harangue you forever. You yourself didn't know _why_ you liked the way he looked. Hell, it wasn't your fault you even found him attrac-

Oh.

**Oh no.**

All the blood drained from your face. Your expression must have changed because even Revenant paused, distracted from his own irritation. He tilted his head again. "...What? Are you actually going to die on me?"

You frowned. Bit your lip. "I... Want you to leave." You frowned harder, frantically thinking. "I need the loo, and I'm pretty sure my hospital gown's come undone while I was sleeping." You raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

"So unless you _want_ to see my ass..." You raised both eyebrows, a smirk crossing your face as Revenant instantly dropped your fanmail and stood to leave. "It's not _that_ bad y'know." You called after his retreating back.

"Hmph." He slammed the door.

Seconds later, the nurse was back, worried expression pinching her brow. She was holding clothes, clearly meant for you when you get discharged. "Are you alright?" Then, looking at the torn paper scattered on the floor, "Do you want me to have words with that man?"

The image of this nurse lecturing Revenant, hand on her hip, finger wagging was enough to make you slump back again, snickering. "It's alright I think. I'm good." Reaching to rake all your letters onto your lap, you sighed, pondering. "Would you actually though, if I was upset?"

The fierce curl of the nurse's lip sent you into a fit of laughter again. She drew herself up to her full height of five foot something, "Of course I would! Nobody goes upsetting my patients without consequence!" and you were gone, laughter shaking all your mail to the floor.

As nice as the company was in hospital, the legend dorms were so much better.

A little part of you that was always alert finally relaxed as you pushed open your apartment door, the familiar scent of _home_ soothing any leftover tension from the latest match. You had things concerning a certain assassin to mull over and you wanted to get it all over with - whether it ended with telling him (doubtful) or just deciding to keep quiet (more likely, but difficult considering Revenant). The apartment opposite housed Wattson - Natalie outside of the games. Down the hall was Octavio, and what was supposed to be Crypto's apartment, though he rarely spent any time in there, preferring to stay elsewhere. (And you were pretty sure he spent more time at Octavio's, bizarrely. You weren't going to ask.) The people that had been Legends longer were housed on the floors above.

Speaking of which. "Hey!" You looked to the side, where Octavio and Natalie were stepping from the elevator. Elliott wasn't too far behind, jogging up the stairs, out of breath. He stood, hands on his knees, panting, as Natalie giggled at him. Octavio continued as though Elliott wasn't there. "Great match yesterday!" Well, the day before, but eh, time is weird in hospitals. You got it. "Champs, eh? Me, Nat, and everyone were going to celebrate tonight. Coming with?"

"You should come! It's celebrating your win after all!" Natalie bobbed on her feet, excited. "That self resurrection saved your squad!"

Her excitement was infectious. Unable to stop yourself grinning back, you nodded. "Hell yeah, why not?" After all, you deserved a night out, and it would be great for getting your mind off of things.

"We'll be drinking to you!" Octavio whooped.

Finally Elliott straightened, still huffing a little but smiling nevertheless. "We're all going to my place- well, bar. Yeah, my bar."

Clearly grinning beneath the mask, Octavio said, "You owe me a drink. Didn't beat the elevator up, amigo."

"But it was close! You've gotta admit that." Elliott pointed a finger at him.

"'Close' doesn't mean beat!"

As they dissolved into bickering, you rolled your eyes, still propping open your door with a foot. Natalie leaned closer to you, a nervous lilt to her voice, "Ah, I wanted to ask..."

She shuffled her feet, "Your sniping was impressive during the match. Can I have some tips? It's perfectly alright if you can't!" she hurried to add, hands waving.

Caught off guard, you fumbled, "Ah um- Sure?" Mulling over your thoughts, you nodded, to Natalie's delight. "Yeah, we can work out a time to go the training yard. The new dummies are great for target practice." 

"Especially if we activate them..." Already deep in thought, Natalie mused out loud, "It would really help with movement."

"Uh, if you're going can I join?" Elliott flicked his hair from his face, sheepishly. Down the hall, Octavio was already clicking his door shut. "Gonna need to work on some things... If that's cool?"

"Why not? We might as well invite anyone else too." You shifted, leaning more fully against your door, drawn more and more to relaxing in your room. Netflix and pyjamas have never sounded better. "We can talk later though. I just got back and ugh." You let out an exaggerated groan. "I've never wanted to just, melt into my couch so badly in my life." They laughed.

Cheerful goodbyes later, your door was clicking shut, and your shoulders slumped, a deep exhale leaving you. _Home_.

Unbeknownst to you, lurking in the gloom of the stairwell outside, a shadow had stood, listening.

Life in the dorms was good. The building was situated a little outside of Solace City, with strong security made stronger still by Crypto and the unerring presence of weapons in every apartment (and most upper hallways, if Wraith's muttered indications meant anything). Established Legends were housed in the upper floors, with a communal area on each floor, though mostly only the top area was used, preferred as it was more private. Generally, the newer competitors temporarily housed in the lower floors didn't attempt to trespass, but there were always some too starstruck to consider that Legends didn't want to be disturbed. The multiple apparent deterrents set up on the top floors kept them away however. You've never seen them yourself, luckily, but you took Crypto's warnings at face value. 

You had only recently become a Legend, established throughout the latest season, and it was still a lot to take in and get used to. The other Legends were friendly, all inviting and accepting, but it was _strange_ having old idols speaking to you casually over breakfast, still in their pyjamas and in several stages of disarray. It was even stranger fighting alongside them in the Games, although, you were finding the Legends saw the Games and regular life as two different things, and it made sense to you. After all, you weren't always known as the fighter that was surrounded by a sense of prestige, hitting headshots with every bullet. Legends weren't just Legends - they were people too.

Except one.

You eyed the people gathered in the upper communal area, sprawled across the couches, chatting as they waited for everyone to get ready to go out. Elliott's bar was a popular place, and everyone was celebrating your squad's win, as well as the closing of the season. Some Legends would be going off to their lives away from the Games and it seemed everyone was willing to spend some time together before then, even the more reclusive ones, Crypto (not so) reluctantly tolerating Octavio chattering away at his elbow and Alexander, ever the scientist, still scrawling notes down as Natalie protested. All except one. You turned to the nearest individual, already knowing your answer as you spoke, "I guess Revenant never goes out with you all?"

Makoa shook his head, smile never dimming as he shrugged. "Never does! We try every time but hmm, he never responds well." You weren't surprised. At least you could avoid his incessant questioning tonight.

"I tried this time," Anita sighed, "Just got the usual threats. There's no point pushing."

"He'll come around eventually!" Pathfinder excitedly waved at you from his position on a couch. He was wearing a red bow tie. Interesting. "We're all friends after all!"

Octavio scoffed, interrupting himself mid-story. "As if. Our whole match he was insulting us!" Then, contemplative. "Maybe he's a tsundere."

"You keep talking about him, he's going to appear just to murder you." You warned, a snicker betraying your amusement. "He's been threatening me just for looking at him."

"Then let's stop talking about him." Wraith waved a hand in greeting, making her way from the hallway, her tone characteristically bland but the small quirk of her lips showing how genial she was feeling. "Who are we waiting for?" You looked over the room, noting each Legend. It was still odd seeing them all dressed in casual clothing.

Ajay crossed her arms, smirking. "Who do you think?"

"Alright party people!" Elliott strutted in, clapping once to get everyone's attention. "Let's get this show on the road!" He paused, looking confused when everyone burst into giggles and stifled snorts. You snickered lightly too, swept up in the group as they rose from couches and gathered jackets, preparing to leave. There was a festive mood in the air. You had a feeling you were going to have a great time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it appears that this is going to end up longer than i expected.
> 
> also, thank you everyone that commented! they mean a lot!
> 
> (Crypto is being called Crypto bc i'm pretty sure he'd insist when he was new to the games, and then it stuck)


	3. Chapter 3

You were right. The drinks were good, the snacks were good, and most importantly, the company was good.

But.

You couldn't shake the feeling that something ominous was _watching_ you.

The bar was crowded. Someone somehow (probably Octavio's stream, judging by how he was waving his selfie stick) had heard about you all arriving, and had apparently spread it everywhere.

And well, who was going to pass up the opportunity to see all these Legends in the flesh?

You smiled a little into your drink as you heard cries of your name. Beside you in the booth, Bloodhound tilted their head, the _clack_ of their charms somewhat muffled by the din of people. They hadn't come for the drink, more to enjoy the company, and to watch their fellow Legends rapidly descend into drunken silliness. Also, the pure intimidation rolling off of them kept even the most forward of fans at bay - something you appreciated. "Is it always this busy?" You wondered, idly, finishing off your glass.

"No." Was the simple reply. "Our presence has made quite the stir. Artur!" The last call was sharp. "Do not!"

There was a clatter, followed by a curse as Bloodhound vanished into the crowd. You, now alone at your booth, snickered. If you leaned up far enough, you could just about spot Ajay gesturing to a disheveled Elliott at the bar. Not too far away, Makoa was throwing back his head, booming laughter in response to Alexander"s apparently monosyllabic mutters. You couldn't quite see the rest of them.

You were startled from your search when an unfamiliar body excitedly bounced into the seat next to you. Just about refraining from battering them with your empty glass, you turned to stare, eyebrow raised. A fan stared right back, eyes wide, mouth theatrically cupped by a palm. "Oh my gosh!" he exclaimed. "I- I'm your biggest fan!"

"Ohh - Okay?" You smiled, alcohol making you much more tolerant than you usually would be. "Nice to meet a fan. Do you, ah, want an autograph?" Hopefully, he would leave. This mellowness wasn't going to last long.

"Yes! Yes, let me just-" He scrabbled in his pockets, coming up with a crumpled receipt (what place still had paper receipts?) and slapping it down on the table, a pen soon offered in your direction. Your eyebrow didn't come down as you signed, and slipped it back, arching higher when he instantly swept it up and gasped in awe.

"Okay, um." Then louder, when he didn't stop staring at your signature. "Okay, I'm gunna have to ask you to leave now. I want to relax." You blinked when he just settled further into his seat, receipt clutched to his chest, beaming at you.

"Can I just ask this quick thing?" And without waiting for a reply, he was off, talking and talking and _talking_. You stared, mild surprise rapidly turning into astonishment. People did this?

Within a minute, your jaw was clenched. You couldn't get a single word in. He just kept going, spilling gossip you weren't interested in, giving advice you couldn't care less about, and even rattling off facts about you even _you_ only vaguely knew. (You weighed what? And your exact height was _what_?) You were just thinking about socking this dude, reputation be damned, when a shadow fell over the both of you. The ominous prickling you'd been feeling all night tensed your shoulders. You froze, scowling.

Maybe it was finally noticing your expression. Maybe it was feeling the pure, unbridled hatred being lasered into him. Whatever it was, the fan finally trailed off, confused smile freezing and slipping off his face as he turned, and saw Revenant's hands digging in and tearing the fabric of the booth on either side of his head.

Pupils blazing, Revenant deliberately leaned down, frame a thin, deadly machine, a bright red slash in the muted colours of the bar, voice a sharp snap as he snarled. "Fuck. Off."

He didn't even wait for the fan to start running. With a single, harsh swipe, the boy was off the seat and tripping several meters into the crowd. Smoothly, as though he hadn't just forcefully evicted someone, Revenant sat down, ignoring the deep holes in the material his hands had made. He let out a drawn out sigh as you gaped, like he'd been dragged here against his will and like he hadn't just shown up out of the blue just to threaten someone for no apparent reason you could discern, except for annoying you.

As you stared, slackjawed, Octavio's earlier words came back to you. Fuck, maybe he _was_ a tsundere.

Finally, you found the strength to ask, "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I celebrate my own win?" He jutted his chin forward in challenge. Already you could tell he was twitchy being in such a busy crowd, especially a crowd of fans that wouldn't stop throwing glances at you both. He threw an aggressive look back at one, and was visibly unnerved when she just giggled, unfazed and clearly gossiping about him with her friends. You sighed.

"Yeah they do that." You gestured around you when he turned and gave you a look. "Fans. They love it when you do anything, apparently." He snorted.

"I'm surprised _you_ have any fans, newbie."

Indignant, you retorted, "I won you the match didn't I? Decent kill count - nearly beat _you_."

Revenant let out a 'hmph'. "Beginner's luck. That won't last long." He made an irritated noise, eyeing the people edging closer to him, and they promptly moved away again, whispers of awe turning into whispers of fear. Satisfied, he turned back to glare down at you. "You were a useful meatshield, I'll give you that."

"Excuse you!" Your empty glass made a sharp _clunck_ as you slapped it down on the table. The ice inside rattled. "How many headshots did I hit? 'Sides," With a grin, you waved at a couple who were gazing at you. Their excited reactions made you smile wider. "I bet I'm more entertaining to watch. Yeah, you get the job done, but where's the flair?"

"I don't kill to _show off_." His tone was scathing, but something in your words had made him pause, and consider. "I don't do it for _viewers_ either." he spat.

"Well, doesn't make a difference to them." You shrugged. "They still love watching us."

"They love watching you die?" But the dig didn't have any heat. Revenant drew back, raising his head, gaze roving from person to person, observing. His face was fixed in a permanent glare, but the rest of his body was loose, shoulders lax, hands curled slackly on the seat either side of him. Every inch of him seemed deep in thought.

You were content to watch and wait. Head resting on one hand, elbow on the table, you just took the time to look at him. This being made of metal and fabric, of coding. He was purely made for killing, evident from his skull of a face all the way down to the mobility in his limbs. Every part, every piston, and detail was made for that purpose. Entirely functional. A machine.

Nobody knew exactly what happened to him; nor did anyone want to pry. Every Legend was entitled to their privacy.

But you couldn't help but wonder.

An age seemed to have passed before a low grumble reverberated through the figure beside you. "There you go again." Revenant seemed to come back to himself, flexing his fingers like he needed to remind himself how to use them, examining them like he'd never seen them before. You watched, a strange sense of serenity encompassing you, even as he turned his head to face you, voice low, pupils flicking across your face to scrutinise your eyes. "You keep watching me too." There was a question in his tone. You didn't know what it was.

You exhaled. "I do." you admitted, refusing to look away, even as you revealed a fraction of your secrets.

There was no sign of the eternal anger he endlessly hauled, just faint intrigue. His body was unnaturally still; frightening, as always, but it was like it was on the edge of retreating from _you_. "Why?"

"I..." You struggled. This wasn't where you expected the conversation to go. You hadn't dealt with your own feelings yourself yet. You couldn't- Didn't know how to- "I don't-" You pulled back, and just like that, Revenant was instantly guarded once more.

You hadn't even realised how open he had become until his walls had slammed back down.

Revenant scoffed at your stumbling. "Pathetic." Where he'd been candid moments before, he was peeved now, clicking a shoulder in impatience. "Don't bother. I'm not interested any more." Already, he was focused on weeding out the Legends in the crowd.

You deflated, straddled between disappointment and relief. "Oh."

"Oh?" He caught onto your tone immediately.

"_Oh._" But you had no intention of giving any more away. "I'm getting another drink." You didn't risk reaching out to nudge at him, instead making a 'shoo' gesture. He still grumbled in response. "Move over." You shuffled, prepared to get up.

There was a sudden commotion at the other end of the bar. The crowd abruptly rushed toward whatever was happening, and as you peered over, distracted, Revenant took the opportunity to slip away. By the time you figured that _yes_, that was Pathfinder and Octavio hanging in a mess of ziplines from the ceiling, and _yes_, that was Wraith standing there, laughing at them instead of helping, Revenant had gone.

You decided to get hammered. That ominous feeling never came back, even as the crowds looked and looked at you. Their eyes felt like nothing compared to his.


	4. Chapter 4

Waking up the next morning was agony.

You didn't even remember getting home - just vaguely recalling something about a drinking contest which everyone must've regretted and the few sober Legends propping people up, struggling to get everyone back to the dorms in one piece. Trying to remember anything else just caused your headache to intensify tenfold.

Drunk you hadn't prepared anything for hung-over you; clear in the way your curtains hadn't been drawn, resulting in the searing sunlight that woke you, and as you groaned and feebly squinted open an eye, you blurrily realised you were still fully clothed, belt uncomfortably digging into your hip.

You laid there for several minutes, just trying to muster up the strength to get up, finally just heaving a sigh, and slowly stumbling your way to your feet. Your jacket was laying in a crumpled heap in the living room as you shuffled past, yawning, to the small kitchen for water. Blankly, you squinted at the wall, sipping at your glass, considering breakfast. Ugh.

Then events from last night came back to you, full force. Revenant's eyes flashed across your thoughts, and you let out a wheezing cough, nearly dropping your glass. Oh god. What had happened last night? You knew, logically, that it was nothing _bad_ but it felt far too... _intimate_ now, as you thought back, sober. Of course it would be absurd to call a regular conversation intimate, but this was _Revenant_. He didn't connect with 'useless skinbags' like you. And with how close you were to confessing... something, too! Ugh. You frowned, headache worsening, embarrassment making you groan again and now, to top it off, your stomach let out a growl. With pursed lips, you pushed the teeming thoughts out of your mind for later, sweeping a look around your kitchen.

Ten minutes later, you were upstairs, slumped on a couch in the common area. Smells of toast was wafting from the communal kitchen, where Makoa was cooking and humming to himself, miraculously lively and, upon taking one look at you, exclaiming "Lookin' much healthier than you!" loudly enough to make you wince. Doors along the hallway were half closed, evidently not shut properly in the mess of last night. One by one, Legends in various states of dress emerged, groaning and collapsing into the couches next to you, until the room was half full, and Makoa was handing out plates of toast and eggs, laughing good-naturedly at the groans of each hung-over person.

"God, I can't even remember last night." Curls untidy for once, Elliott was face down on a couch, forgoing any food for a glass of water. "Tell me, why do I drink again...?"

Wraith snorted, examining her toast, the bags under her eyes deeper than usual. "_You_ claim it's tradition."

"Ngh."

Natalie giggled as Elliott burrowed further into the couch cushions, words mumbled unintelligibly. "It's not that bad, mon ami." She hummed. "Though I did not drink as much as you."

"I'm never drinking again." You grumbled. There was a quiet groan of shared agreement before the room lulled into crunching and chewing, the occupants recovering from their indulgence. This, you mulled over, eating thoughtfully, was what the fans never saw. As fiercely as these people fought alongside and against each other in the Games, this was what truly united them. This, was what you were staring to think of when you thought of family. A merry band of misfits. It was lovely.

It was close to the afternoon when you decided to return to your apartment. But before you could open the door, you paused, confused, foot stepping on a hard lump on the ground.

No pets were allowed in the dorms; something that everyone had protested every other month. Bloodhound seemed to get a free pass purely due to their daunting presence . Octavio had definitely sneaked something that had squeaked and gotten into the floorboards a least once. Ajay had privately reassured you that it had _not_ been an alligator as Octavio claimed. "It's just a small somethin' that reminds him of his childhood." She'd grinned. "Small and fluffy. He thinks that's too boring to announce." No stray animals wandered to the topmost floors of the building either.

But there was no other explanation for this. Was Artur dropping you little gifts? You bent down to pick up the bullet left outside your door. You'd stepped on it on accident, otherwise you'd have never noticed it there, innocuously left laying on your doorstep. As a frequent user of the gun, you noted it was a Longbow bullet, slender and heavy, familiar as you rolled it in your palm. You could tell immediately it was a used one, so what was it doing here? Was it a threat? Some assassin's call sign?

Peering around the hall, you couldn't see anyone, no Legends to jump out and exclaim 'Prank!', no insane fans leaving gifts. Definitely no animals.

Expression bemused, you let yourself in, making sure to shut the door behind you.

You had used a Longbow in the latest match, of course, but there wasn't anything special in any of the bullets you had shot. Wandering deeper into your apartment, you continued rolling the bullet in your fingers, drawing comfort from the familiar sensation. You had used a Longbow until the end - shooting the final bullet through Caustic and winning the match. Arguably, that would be the most important bullet of them all, but again, who would bother tracking the thing down and retrieving it, let alone leaving it outside your door?

You examined the bullet again. There was nothing to tell you anything about it. With a huff, you set it on your living room table. You'd think about it later. For now, you needed a shower and a nap to finally shake off this hang-over.

Later, as you drifted off again, snug in your bed, your room shadowed as your curtains were pointedly closed, the memory of Revenant's voice came clear to you. Nothing specific, no words, no particular vocalisations - just the low, quiet voice that had awed you last night. The thought lulled you to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> longer chapt very soon!


	5. Chapter 5

The weather on Solace was always so hot. The sun was blazing.

You squinted your eyes, arm lifted to block the worst of the rays, looking across the dust settling in the training yard. The dummies were still for now - ready and waiting for when you'd all warmed up. You felt confident; good and battle ready in your uniform.

A whistle came from beside you. "Love what they did to the place!" A decoy was sent jogging down the hill, Elliott taking a quick snap of its figure in the sun against a backdrop of targets and guns, fingers nimbly flying across his phone as he doubtlessly uploaded the picture. "New guns, new dummies... Speaking of which-"

"Not yet! We should stretch first. Warm up a little." You pulled a face at him as he lifted his phone. In retaliation, Elliott took a photo of you.

He tilted the screen at you, silently asking your permission to post it. Out loud, he said, "Fine, fine. Stretching. Then, we get to the good part." He grinned, clearly excited. "I haven't tried them out yet."

"Me neither!" Natalie finally emerged, blinking, into the yard. In her hands, she fiddled with a P2020, a small pylon charm hanging off the side and glinting in the light. "Why do they give us these?" she wondered.

You and Elliott shrugged. "I don't know, but you might as well throw it away." You smirked, spreading your arms with glee. It felt so freeing just to relax and shoot. "Today's all about sniping."

After stretching ("Elliott, I swear if you take another photo-"), and some mishaps with the dummies ("I didn't expect it to shoot right away! Mon Dieu!"), you had finally set up on the slabs of stone midway up the hill. Below you three, the dummies wandered, currently not sensing any of your presences.

You had a Kraber snapped to your back and your favoured Longbow in your hands. Natalie, crouched next to you, mirrored your loadout. Elliott had neither; sat back against the stone with a Tripletake in the crook of his arm as he attached a Choke, complaining.

"Why can't we start with scopes? I never use 'em without scopes anyway."

You scoffed, unimpressed. "What if you don't have one?"

"I don't pick up a sniper." was the sheepish reply.

You rolled your eyes. Natalie giggled. "It's good practise, mon ami." She peered down at her Longbow, finger tracing along the barrel. "And that is what we're here for after all."

Your own Longbow prepared, you gestured at the dummies, alerting them all as you stood, "Well said. Now, take a shot." You grinned. "I wanna see what your sniping is like."

As it turned out, this was _fun_. Natalie was a quick learner; picking up your tips with ease, her confidence with her weapon growing as the session continued. Elliott struggled more with the finer points but he was upbeat, not hesitating to throw a joke or a pose.

The dummies weren't the best but they ran and dodged and that was all your group needed. There were less and less body shots. Soon, after an hour, every shot was aimed precisely at the head.

"Can we try sniping grenades?"

"You've been hanging out with Octavio too long."

A familiar, ominous chill ran down your spine. Quick as a snake, you whipped around and aimed your sights at the bastard that _wouldn't stop haunting you_. Revenant just seemed amused, tilting his head slightly at your reaction, completely unfazed by the gun pointed at him. He didn't move from where he was standing, shadowed by the uneven cubes of stone making up the paths into the training yard. He didn't make any effort to communicate or move closer either, just standing, still and silent.

Reluctantly, you lowered the gun, making _sure_ he could see your glare. "_What_ is he doing here." was muttered under your breath.

Beside you, Natalie glanced over to where you were looking. "Maybe he wanted to practise too?" She replied, unsure.

"He keeps showing up everywhere, huh. I saw him at the bar too." Elliott gripped your shoulder, tugging to turn your gaze away from the red irritant looming in the corner. There was a nervous smile on his face. "Ignore him. Let's get back to sniping."

You sighed. Bracing yourself to disregard that burning gaze, you shook your head, mustering up a similarly strained smile for the two Legends. "Yeah." Then, more genuinely, determinedly lifting your Longbow. "Yeah. Here's a tip I just remembered."

The Kraber had always felt heavier than any other sniper to you. Maybe it was its sheer power; the damage it could inflict. Maybe it was the fact that it only came from care packages. Maybe it was the fact the magazine was so _big_ in comparison to the other guns. You took aim. The gun sat heavy in your hands but the weight of _his_ gaze sat heavier on you. You shrugged it off, and shot.

**BANG.** The dummie fell, yet again. Natalie, testing out different distances, mimicked you and took aim from the platforms high above the ground.

**BANG.** The dummie jolted, shields cracking but not downed, instead whipping around to run futilely for cover. A second shot had it falling into the dust.

"Nice shots." You called up to her. "Getting the feel of it?"

"Oui!" Another shot, more confidently aimed, and the just respawned dummie fell yet again.

A decoy slid into the shot of the third dummie. Elliot paced, dissatisfied grumbling clear in his body language from where he was a little ways away. You had no idea what he was testing for, but you paid little mind to the constant barrage of decoys. Similarly, you paid no mind to Revenant, still observing, as you trained.

You had always trained without scopes first because-

"Wahoo!"

**BANG.**

-it made training with scopes _that_ much better.

With a hand raised to block out the sun, you flashed a thumbs up at Wattson, her excited one back tugging a grin across your mouth as she landed, dust unsettling at her feet. Elliott, up on the groaning bones of an old great beast, waved, then snapped his goggles down, bending his knees and preparing to jump. His jump kit whirred.

Natalie cheered as he leapt, Tripletake snapping to aim with a blast, dummie falling the moment he pulled the trigger. He landed a second after, his own whoop echoing Natalie's. "Did you see that? That was awesome!"

They highfived as you rolled your eyes. "I promise that won't happen in the arena. We all know how to dodge too well."

"Let me have this."

"Sure. Congrats, both of you."

"Is he still there?" Natalie whispered at you.

Grimly, you took aim again. "Yep."

Revenant had moved closer as time passed. Every time you turned to look, he'd seem to be a few steps closer than before, all of which annoyed you and unnerved Natalie and Elliott. Whatever he was doing, it was derailing your training session.

As you killed a dummie yet again, the body vanishing with a perfect hole through the forehead, you turned to Natalie and caught a glimpse of red already a couple of meters closer. Your temper flared. _Enough_.

"Hey!" Scowling, you pointed at Revenant. "If you're not doing any training, leave." He lifted his chin up, triumphant in getting a reaction out of you.

With plodding steps, he closed the remaining distance between you, smugness audible in his voice and the way he drew himself up to look down at you, "I'm simply watching your pathetic attempts at sniping." 

"Oh fuck off." You growled. "And I'm sure _you_ can do so much better."

"Of course."

This was useless. Clearly he just came here to antagonize you - and to stand and bicker was just filing away at time and his boredom; something he wanted, judging from how deliberately barbed he was being today. With a thoughtful, irritated noise, you tilted your head back to glare challengingly at him. Amused purely by your shorter height, he gazed back, deceptively calm.

"Duel. Now." you snapped. "If I win, you leave us to our training."

"I was already doing that, moron."

"You know what I mean!"

"Mm." His eyes flicked to the side, considering. "What use would a duel be to me?"

"What, not sure that you'd win?" Judging from the instant flip in his demenour and the sudden tensing of synthetic muscles, he knew exactly what you were doing but was helpless to refuse. Unable to fight a direct poke at his ego, he glowered at you.

"_When_ I win, I want you to do something for me. Whenever." His pupils seemed to glow brighter. "Might as well quit now. Spare yourself the embarrassment of losing."

He had leaned closer to hiss the last syllable. You didn't back down. Instead, you dropped your Longbow. "One weapon only."

"Fine." Then, without warning, he was kicking your legs out from under you. Half expecting him to pull something underhand like this, you caught yourself, hands pushing off the ground and sending your body to the side. Knowing Revenant wouldn't hesitate to attack, you pulled out your Kraber, pivoting, one knee digging into the dirt, your muscles braced. Without aiming, you swung it at his approaching form and shot.

The bullet barely missed clipping his arm and he abruptly stepped to the side, blocking your sightline behind a rock. You took the opportunity to run, dropping your Kraber and reaching for a Spitfire. Sliding between the weapon stands, you were gaining distance and cover; two things Revenant would be able to demolish you without.

Unfortunately, he seemed to have thought the same thing.

A Kraber - your Kraber - rang out. There was a clack, and the bullet landed at the foot of the stand you had ducked behind, leaving a sizable dent in the metal. You risked peering out, but he was already gone, evading your sight as he plotted.

A rattle behind you, and you were dodging a punch that slammed against the stand. Too close to take aim and shoot, you jabbed the Spitfire forward into his stomach - but he just snapped his waist to the side, trapping your gun with an elbow against his spine. A testing twist told you it was stuck. But another twist, and it was firmly stuck on the straps of his bags. You let go of the gun, ducking, hand reaching to the side to grab a Hemlock as he tried to move his arm but was startled by the gun swinging awkwardly. A growl as Revenant tried to rip it away, only managing to yank at himself. You took the chance to shoot.

Burst shots to the head and torso had him furious. He tore the gun and his bag off himself, throwing the objects at you in one enraged swing. You slipped between the gun stands just in time but you weren't fast enough to avoid the consequent attack.

With a roar, he was tearing the gun from your hands. He shoved you down; metal palms rough, all the air leaving your lungs as you thudded against the floor.

Chest heaving, you glared up at him, tilting your head back, challenging him to finish you off. His foot dug into your stomach and made you wheeze. It wasn't harsh; just resting there, firm, keeping you down.

You had lost.

Cruelly, he flexed his hands. Leaning down, pressing his foot harder against you, he murmured, a snarl curling around the edge of his words, eyes smug, "Weakling." He aimed the muzzle of his gun at your irritated face. A dark laugh rose at the sight of your prone form.

You exhaled, closing your eyes. Being shot in the head always hurt but respawn was fast. At least you put up a decent fight.

But death never came.

Confused, and no less annoyed, you cracked open your eyes again. Revenant levelly met your gaze, then seemed to huff, lowering his gun. The pressure on your lungs vanished as he lifted his foot. There was a thump as he dropped his weapon and turned to stalk away.

You watched him go, bewildered.

Soon, Natalie heaved you back onto your feet, fretting around you - "You both shouldn't have been fighting!" - whilst Elliott flicked back and forth between worrying - "He was about to _kill_ you! Wait." - and wondering - "Why didn't he?"

You just stood there, wondering that yourself. Revenant didn't have any mercy. What the heck was that all about?

Eventually, you shoved your thoughts aside for later and lightly grabbed a gesturing Natalie by the forearms. "Dueling is fine in the training yard." and as she opened her mouth to bicker, you added, "But yeah. I shouldn't have challenged him."

"No crap! No offence, but you were gonna lose from the start. Anyone would. It's _Revenant_. " He shuddered. "At least he left anyway."

"But you owe him now!" Natalie seemed more distressed about this and honestly, you agreed. "Mon ami, he is a dangerous man to owe favours to."

"You can say that twice!" Elliott dropped his gun with a clunk, raising a hand to run through his hair. You knew he only did it to show off or unconsciously when he was stressed. You weren't going to tell him he was smearing the grease from his gloves all through his curls. "Let's go. I don't know about you, but I think I've done enough training for today." Natalie nodded, similarly lowering her own weapons.

You shrugged. The sky was gradually growing more orange with the setting sun. You hadn't noticed it'd become so late. "Sure." Your stomach growled. "Dinner?" you suggested, hopefully.

You grinned as their faces lit up.

Later, when night had truly fallen and you were stuffed with the best sushi Solace City had to offer, you let yourself into your apartment. Yawning, you flicked the light on, carelessly throwing your keys onto your living room table - then froze. You backtracked and took another look around. Nothing was clearly amiss, but you were certain. Something was off.

Investigating the room got you no answers. Taking a closer look at your table however, revealed tiny grains of dirt around the bullet you'd left here the day before. Picking the thing up between pinched fingers, you examined the specks of orange dust across the metal, brows furrowed. Someone had come in here and moved it. Someone had tried to _hide_ that they did. You set the bullet down again and glanced up at the camera hidden in the corner of ceiling. This was worrying.

Crypto instantly agreed with your concern. "I'll check the camera." He turned, paused, then turned back and gestured at you to move out of Octavio's doorway. "In _my_ apartment. I don't trust the PC's in here."

"Hey!" Octavio's voice floated from a room further in. A door slammed open and he poked his head out, goggles and mask on but wild hair let free. "My computer's fine!"

"Not for this." Crypto was already across the hall and unlocking his own apartment door. His back blocked your view of what he was doing - on purpose, you were sure. Paranoid guy, but fair. Everyone had their quirks after all.

Octavio tapped your shoulder, now propping his own door open to squint at the both of you. "What's this about?"

You shrugged. "Someone's been in my apartment."

"That's possible? After all the traps- _deterrents_?" He corrected himself with a snicker when Crypto shot him a glare.

"You can never be too careful." Finally, the door creaked open and Crypto stepped inside, motioning at you. "Come in. Tavi, too if you want."

Your eyebrows rose at the familiar addressal, glancing at Octavio as Crypto disappeared inside. He just pulled down his mask to shoot you a cheeky smirk.

Any the levity between the three of you vanished as soon as you saw who exactly had broken into your apartment. You weren't scared though, far from it. You were just _confused_. "What the fuck?"

"Huh." Octavio was shocked too.

In the glow of the screen, Crypto was all shadows and eyebags. His brows were furrowed. "Do you know why he would do this?' He rewound the clip, interest and concern deepening.

On the screen, Revenant stalked through your door again. He didn't snoop, didn't even seem to hesitate - just paused at the door to briefly examine the room, before striding to your table and picking up the bullet. He certainly didn't care that he was trespassing.

You were irritated.

A sigh and you slouched, rubbing at your eyes, suddenly tired. "I don't know."

"Any link to the bullet to you?"

"It's a Longbow one." You sighed again. "I guess I use it a lot? But that doesn't explain much."

"It explains nothing amigo."

Crypto pinched his brow in thought. "Hm. I have a theory." His hands flew across his keyboard, bringing up another video. Skipping through that, he found the clip of Revenant leaving the bullet on your doorstep in the first place.

Minimising that, he began clicking through all sorts of things. You stopped attempting to keep up with it. Octavio wasn't even trying, off at the other side of the room and digging through Crypto's drawers. You didn't know where to begin to make sense of this. It didn't seem to be malicious - which made it all the more confusing. If it had been an attempt to scare you, at least you knew how to react. This? What the fuck.

Finally, Crypto straightened. "There." On the screen was World's End. As you refocused and examined the scene, you realised - it was the site of the final battle.

The place was deserted. Craters were littered across the landscape; the remains of Anita's rockets. Each building was scattered with gunshots and scuff marks. The entire bottom floor of the building Wraith's team was occupying was entirely blackened by grenade explosions. This was where you had won.

A second later, through the grainy feed, Revenant emerged from the doorway. His shadowed frame blended with the shadows of the building as he exited, and then faded into the darkness off-screen as he left the arena.

Crypto paused the footage there. Silent, you just stood, processing, trying to understand. What was the point of doing that? Why would _Revenant_ of all people do something so... _pointless_? There was clicking as Crypto fiddled with the keyboard. Tone gentler than usual, he broke the quiet contemplation that had fallen over you, eyes never leaving the screen. "It's your winning bullet." He rubbed at his chin, "Maybe it has some worth to him."

Shaking off your thoughts for later, you smiled weakly. "Maybe _I_ have some worth to him. Am I finally a competent teammate?" You joked back. You didn't know what to think of his answering silence.

You left followed by an abundance of reassurances. "I won't tell anyone. Don't worry. I'll make sure this idiot doesn't tell anyone too." It went unspoken that he'd be checking in on you and Revenant both.

You were grateful but you were sure it wouldn't matter much. If Revenant wanted to hurt you, he definitely would have already. It was just a matter of unraveling his ridiculously guarded thoughts.

As you locked the door of your apartment, making _sure_ that it was bolted too, a thought came to you. _Why don't you just ask him?___

_ _Instantly dismissed. That would be awful._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reason why the duel is so fast: i'd imagine canon revenant is just ridiculously good at fighting even against experienced legends. a 1v1 would be close to impossible
> 
> thanks for reading! and thank you all so much for the comments!

**Author's Note:**

> twitter @xavlow  
come yell at me if ya like


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